All of our guides are local. Hence, they know a lot about local culture and environment.

The guides speak English quite well, but are very eager to learn more and improve their language skills. Therefore don’t hesitate, help and correct!

If possible, guides being fluent in relevant tribal languages will accompany you. Therefore, we are making an effort to include Akha and Khmu as guides.

Every guide has received a 2 months training course on the principles of ecotourism, guiding techniques, culture and history, natural history, health and safety and English.

Your guide will help to interpret the local culture and environment, instruct you on important cultural do’s and don’ts, look after your safety, ensure that your visit to villages is beneficial for both tourists and villagers and will arrange for food, water and sleeping in the village.

ALWAYS ASK YOUR GUIDE IF YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT SOMETHING OR IF YOU’RE IN NEED OF SOMETHING!!!

Booking Recommendation

Choose a tour that you’re really interested in by reading the information about each tour.

Try to choose a tour that others have signed up for. If there are less than 3 people for a day tour - or less than 4 people for an overnight tour - you will have to pay more according to the price list (posted).

If there are already 10 people signed up for the tour, choose another one as all tours have a maximum of 10 people in order to enhance the experience of tourists and villagers alike.

Fill in your name on the signup sheet. Include all relevant information. Write one name for each person. Specify, if you are a vegetarian in the left-hand column next to your name.

Read the Waiver (attached to the signup clipboard) and sign one for each person.

Come back to the office at 4:30 the day before the tour starts for an orientation about the tour and to confirm your spot. You can ask questions about the tour during the orientation. : : to Top : :

Meals on overnight tours are prepared by using simple, local foods purchased in villages, such as: rice, vegetables and on occasion some meat or fish. Purchasing food in villages helps generate income for villagers!

Vegetarians and other dietary restrictions can be accommodated: LET US KNOW WHEN SIGNING UP and REMIND YOUR GUIDE DURING THE TREK.

Bring your own snacks/sweets if you like and need as snacks are not provided.

Sleeping Eco-lodge or Homestay

Sleeping on simple beds, on mattresses etc., is included in the cost of the tours.

The village benefits from a sleeping-fee charged for each tourist on the trip.

Often the sleeping fee is put into a general fund managed by the village itself for festivals, medicine, rice shortages and other needs.

Please, if you don’t have a sleeping bag, we will either provide you with one or with a blanket in the village.

Limits on the number of people allowed on any one tour are made to ensure low impact in the villages

Akha Massage

It is traditional for guests to receive a massage upon arriving to an Akha village.

As we are paying guests and come on a more frequent basis than normal guests, a small fee is paid directly by the guide to the women and young girls who give the massage.

Please keep dressed when receiving a massage!

This is yet another way that the village can benefit from tourism.

Therefore, PLEASE, DON’T PAY FOR THE MASSAGE. This is included in the price. Your guide will pay in a discreet and fair manner to avoid confusion and over commercialization of this tradition. : : to Top : :

Drinking Water

Safe drinking water is provided on the tour and is included in the price.

We recommend that 2-3 litters and don’t forget to drink a lot while you’re on the trail!

Reusable water bottles are provided to reduce plastic waste. You may use your own water bottle if you’d like, instead. (You can fill up your water bottles at the offices).

On overnight tours, water for drinking/washing is available in the villages and is often taken from a rivulet. To reduce the amount of fuel-wood used in the villages, we recommend using water purification droplets.

Your guide carries providence iodine in the first-aid kit. Add 8 drops of providence iodine to 1 litter of water. Let it stand for at least 30 minutes before drinking. Using iodine on a short-term basis is safe.

If you cannot use iodine, water can be boiled in the villages. Remember that this takes time and consumes precious fuel wood.